Left untreated, depression can be debilitating to your physical, emotional, and mental health. It’s important to treat depression early and effectively in order to avoid negative effects of depression on your health. By taking care of your medical needs, the health of your body, and your emotions, you can prevent many risks associated with depression.

Steps

Part 1

Managing Medical Risks

1

Take care of chronic illness. If you suffer from a chronic illness, you have a higher likelihood of also experiencing depression. It’s common to suffer depression if you have cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, HIV/AIDS, and multiple sclerosis, among others. The reverse is also true: those with depression are more likely to develop a medical condition.[1] If you have a medical condition, treat it properly. Attend all appointments, work with a specialist if necessary, and stay regular in your care.

Prioritize your health to avoid either disorder becoming worse.

Some psychiatric medications can lead to diabetes, as determined in long-term studies. Check with your doctor to see if your depressive medication in worsening your diabetes.

2

Manage your weight and nutrition. Depression can affect your weight. Some people tend to overeat while others tend to undereat when experiencing a depressive episode. You may feel like you are insatiable, or that you’ve completely lost your appetite. Either way, it’s important to manage your eating habits and weight effectively because untreated depression can lead to problems related to weight and nutrition.[2]

People that overeat tend to have atypical depression, while people who undereat tend to have severe major depression.

Even if you have no appetite, find ways to eat foods. Consider making smoothies or drinking juice.

If you cannot stop eating, find ways to moderate your consumption. For example, only shop for the foods you need, and avoid buying unhealthy foods.

Avoid self-harming. Self-harming is an intentional act of pain toward your body that serves as a way to deal with your feelings. You may self-harm as a method to release emotional pain and distract you from life. While it can help to relieve pain in the short-term, the pain always comes back, often along with guilt and shame for hurting yourself.[3] This practice is often dangerous and can be life-threatening. If you are self-harming, reach out and let somebody know. Confide in a close friend or relative, and seek professional help.

Therapy can help you work through painful emotions and express them in more positive ways.

If you are engaging in self-harm, it is possible you have other comorbid conditions, such as a borderline personality disorder, along with your depression.

Treat alcohol problems. It’s common for alcoholism and depression to go hand-in-hand. Regular alcohol consumption lowers serotonin in your brain and can increase your symptoms of depression. You may have a problem with alcohol if you find yourself increasing your consumption over time, gaining tolerance, having poor sleep after drinking, experiencing low mood, and feeling tired due to a hangover.[4] Alcohol problems can affect your relationships and your ability to make good decisions. Seek treatment by going to therapy, attending rehabilitation, and getting proper medical care.

Part 2

Taking Care of Your Body

1

Exercise. Exercise is an important part of treatment for depression. Depression can make getting out a bed of huge accomplishment each day, and exercise may seem like a daunting task. Yet, exercise has been shown to be as effective as medication for treating symptoms of depression.[6] It can also help to prevent relapses. Aim to get 30 minutes of exercise each day by taking a walk, dancing, or taking martial arts.

Left untreated, depression can take a toll on your heart health and put you at an increased risk for stroke or coronary artery disease.[7]

Get adequate sleep. Depression and sleep are intricately connected. Not getting adequate sleep can cause depression, and depression can affect your ability to sleep. Insomnia is common in people who report symptoms of depression.[8] Likewise, some people begin to oversleep as a result of depression from feeling lethargic and fatigued.[9] Aim to get between seven and nine hours of sleep each night so that you wake up feeling rested.

If you find it difficult to sleep well, begin using a sleep routine. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, even on weekends. Have a bedtime ritual that helps you relax and calm down, such as reading a book, sipping herbal tea, taking a bath, or listening to calm music.

Talk to your doctor if you are having difficulty sleeping.

3

Reduce caffeine consumption. Caffeine can negatively interact with depression and affect your health, especially if you tend to be sensitive to caffeine. For example, caffeine can disrupt your sleep schedule and lead to changes in your mood. If you struggle with both anxiety and depression, caffeine can worsen anxiety.[10]

If caffeine is negatively affecting your health, gently decrease your consumption. If you stop using caffeine abruptly, this can worsen depression until your body adjusts. You may experience withdrawal symptoms such as headache, fatigue, and irritability.

Part 3

Staying Emotionally Healthy

1

Go to therapy regularly. Therapy can be hugely beneficial in treating depression. Therapy can help you to improve your relationships, set healthy boundaries to avoid burnout, and increase your ability to navigate stress better.[11] Some common approaches to therapy include using a cognitive-behavioral approach that challenges your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in how they contribute to symptoms of depression. A therapist can help you find your triggers that lead to depression.

Spend time with loved ones. Depression can make you feel alone, isolated, and lonely. Remember that lots of people suffer from depression, even if they don’t say anything or “look” depressed. Isolation can increase your feelings of sadness and depression, and for this reason, it’s important to have a support network of friends and family who you can count on to be there for you.[12]

Consider joining a support group or an online community to help you connect with others who suffer from depression.

Spend time with friends and family regularly, even if you don’t feel like it. Show up, interact, and be near those you love. This can help you feel less isolated and more connected.

Make sure you have people in your life who are there for you and supportive. If you feel you have relationships that are bringing you down or worsening your depression, put some distance between yourself and that person or end the relationship.

3

Practice relaxation. Relaxation can help you deal with stress effectively, boost feelings of well-being, and address symptoms of depression.[13] Aim to do something relaxing every day for 30 minutes. Find a method that feels good and that you know you can keep up on a regular basis. Try to do relaxation at the same each day, such as first thing in the morning, during your lunch break, or before you go to bed.

Address changes in sexual health. Many people with depression experience a decrease in sexual desire. This can affect your ability to enjoy and engage in sexual activity.[14] Sexual changes can lead to feeling insecure, unfulfilled, and guilty about not fulfilling your partner’s needs. This, in turn, can lead to more feelings of depression, guilt, helplessness and shame. If you’re struggling with your sex drive, talk to your physician. They may change your medications, prescribe you something new, and discuss alternative options for you.

Talk to your partner about what’s going on. Let your partner know that these changes have nothing to do with them and are part of having depression.

Bupropion and mirtazapine are atypical antidepressants, which are prescribed to those that have sexual side effects to SSRI. These atypical antidepressants tend not to have sexual side effects, while other antidepressive medications do.